ExxonMobil mulls expanding Beaumont refinery into largest in US

If carried out, the rumored expansion could more than double the size of the 344,600 bpd Texas Gulf Coast refinery with the addition of a third crude distillation unit (CDU).

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ExxonMobil is considering a multi-billion-dollar expansion of its Beaumont refinery in Texas, according to
a weekend report from news agency Reuters.

The expansion would be among the
first major refining investments of the US
shale boom.

If carried out, the expansion would potentially more
than double the size of the 344,600 bpd Beaumont refinery with the addition of a
third crude distillation unit (CDU),
Reuters reported.

An Exxon spokesman declined to discuss plans for the
Beaumont refinery and said the company was always
evaluating growth options.

The largest US refinery at present is Motiva's 600,000 bpd
refinery in nearby Port Arthur, Texas. However, ExxonMobil
is reportedly looking at making the Beaumont plant even
bigger.

"They've talked between 700,000 and 800,000 bpd in total refinery capacity," a source
told Reuters.

More modest near-term projects to upgrade and expand
coking units to refine more heavy crudes are already
underway, according to the report, which cited sources
saying Exxon was moving forward on plans to replace four
coking unit drums in 2015 and add two new coker drums in
2017.

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